Filipinos the nicest people I’ve met

I was cleaning my room yesterday when I found a torn page of an old newspaper ( 7Days, one of Dubai's tabloids) in one of my drawers. I purposely kept it as the contents make me proud. I just learned today that the article sparked a buzz and had been a hot topic.. let me share it here. this might make you proud of our people..

Filipinos the nicest people I’ve met
Published on: Sunday, 14th January, 2007

I read ‘Cool Hand Luke’s’ letter about Filipinos being Dubai’s nicest people and it really struck a cord. I have no idea what Filipino’s do (or eat!) to retain such a sunny disposition while suffering hardship (as many of them do) but they are indeed a truly fantastic bunch of people.
In four years of being in Dubai I think of all the drivers who have cut me up on the roads and none of them have been Filipino. I think of all the people who have tried to rip me off in some way and none of them have been Filipino. I think of all the disgusting people who spit and pick their nose in public and none of them have been Filipino.Filipinos have a dignity, pride and code of living that they can truly be proud of and which the rest of the world can look up to.
Nigel Whittaker
Umm Suqeim

This did not end here as Nigel's view certainly struck a familiar cord with many other readers, who have flooded the paper with letters of praise for the Filipinos they have come across here in Dubai, with many asking for the secret to our apparent happiness that we seem to carry with us as we go to work. The newspaper company was kind enough to publish some other reactions. and as they put it, no sender seemed to disagree with this claim.here's one example:


Praise of Filipinos is very deserved
Published on: Monday, 15th January, 2007

I would like to second the opinion of Nigel and ‘Cool Hand Luke’ about Filipinos. I never had a Filipino friend or acquaintance, but its hard to ignore how friendly and chivalrous they are. I travel by municipality bus a lot, and usually see men occupying the seats reserved for Ladies. Once a man refused to move out even when requested by the driver. On the other hand, Filipino men gladly vacate their seats for women though they are sitting in the unreserved section. I have been shamed into doing it myself after watching them couple of times. Filipinos never push and jostle while trying to get into the bus and try to be in a queue as much as possible. I am yet to come across a rude Filipino, though Dubai has struck me as a city of exceptionally rude people. They are the only people who still remember the golden words ‘Please’, and ‘Thank You’.
hope my countrymen would take a leaf out of their book and try to be nice to others.
Viva la Pinoy!

Abi Sultan
Dubai

hmm... although i'd say we have a share of not-so-good-attitude bearing people from the land of thousand islands, i'd say, this makes me proud of the ones who have been in dubai earlier than me. and yes, quite big shoes to fill in for newbies like me..